FB
by Mrs. Hedlund
Summary: Four Brothers FanFic•Evelyn was the only mother Alex ever knew. Now she is gone and Alex is alone, until Alex introduces herself to Evelyn's sons. Now they vow to protect her, just as their mother would have wanted.


Alexandria Andersen paced the corner of her block several times before she mustered the courage to cross the street

**A**lexandria Andersen paced the corner of her block several times before she mustered the courage to cross the street. She stopped pacing and began to walk towards the two story house with fear churning in her stomach. _What are you doing?_ She asked herself. _What do you expect to happen?_ She stopped at the front door with her hand curled in a fist ready to knock. She hesitated. Memories of the woman who had once lived there filled her mind and she smiled to herself. Evelyn Mercer, how kind she had been to Alexandria, who she called Alex. _'No one ever called me Alex before. My mother always felt it to be improper to call yourself anything other then your full name.'_ Alex said. _'Your mother doesn't seem to have that much of an imagination, now does she?'_ Evelyn asked. They laughed over coffee that Evelyn had freshly brewed. _'You know Alex, I could see my youngest son Jackie taking a liking to you.' _Evelyn smiled. _'Really? Well maybe someday I will get to meet him.'_ Alex smiled back. Alex's memories of Evelyn made her feel warm and safe. _What harm would it do for you to say hello to Evelyn's sons?_ For the past five years her friendship with Evelyn grew to a loving mother daughter relationship. It would only be right to introduce herself to her sons. She had met Evelyn's son Jeremiah for the first time a couple of years before but had never met the other three boys that Evelyn had always talked so highly of. _'My sons are my world. I thank god everyday for sending them to me.'_ Alex's eyes began to water. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Several seconds later a tall dark handsome man with a stern look opened the door.

"Can I help you?" He said.

"Hi. Um, my name is Alexandria Andersen. I live down the block. I was friends with your mother." Alex said.

"Oh, any friend of Ma's if a friend of ours. Come in, come in. Get out of the cold." The man moved aside and gestured for Alex to enter.

"Thank you" Alex said. He closed the door behind them and opened the second door.

"Please come in and make yourself comfortable. I'm Angel." Angel took her hand and shook it. Alex looked at him and smiled.

"I've heard so much about you Angel." Alex said taking off her jacket. Angel reached for it and hung it on the wall.

"Nothing but good things I hope." Angel smiled. He had an amazing smile.

"Your mother would only say good things of her sons." Alex smiled.

"Come, sit." He walked her to the living room.

"Bobby! Jack! We got company!" Angel yelled upstairs.

"So," He said as he sat on a chair across from her. "How did you know Ma?"

"Well, I moved in down the street a few months after your brother Jack left. Um, I had gotten into an argument with my step father out front of my house and Evelyn had seen the whole thing. I started walking to, well, wherever and she stopped me. She told me that she had seen the argument and that things would get better. I never had anyone care about me like that before, especially a stranger so I kind of became attached to her quickly." Alex laughed.

"Ma had that affect on people." Angel smiled.

"And who might you be?" Alex stood up to see a broad shouldered man walk into the living room.

"I'm Alexandria. Alexandria Andersen." She put her hand out for him to shake. He shook her hand and smiled at her. "But you can call me Alex. Your mom, she always called me Alex." Alex put her eyes to the ground.

"Well hello Alex. I'm Bobby. So I'm gonna take a long shot here, but I'm guessing you knew our Ma?" Bobby laughed as he sat down on the couch next to her.

"Yes, I was just telling your brother I met her shortly after I moved here. She was probably my only real friend. Sounds sad I know." Alex tried to smile.

"It's not sad. You were lucky to have known her." Angel said.

"I think I remember Ma talking about you. Your step father's a real asshole right?" Bobby said.

"Yes, that would be him."

"Your ma died a few years ago right?"

"Yeah, she was sick when we moved here. She met your mother a few times and after she died your mother kind of, took her place I guess." Alex began to fight back tears. She was never one to hide her emotions well.

"You still live with your step father?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah. He, uh. He unfortunately is still breathing." Alex realized what she said and apologized.

"No need to apologize. If Ma told Bobby about him he musta been a bad man." Angel got up and headed towards the kitchen. "You guys want anything?" He asked.

"No thank you." Alex said.

Bobby looked over to Angel. "Yeah, get me a beer." He looked back at Alex. "So, I think that you should stay for dinner. We don't get many visitors here now that Ma's gone. If my memory is correct, Ma really cared about you." Bobby said.

Alex's eyes began to water. "I really cared about her too." She said through a cracked voice. Alex began to cry. Bobby sat closer to her and hugged her. The Mercer boys may be tuff, but they always had a soft spot for a crying woman.

"Oh boy. Am I interrupting something?" A handsome deep voice said. Alex looked up to see the most attractive guy she had ever laid her eyes upon. _This must be Jack._ She thought.

"No asshole." Bobby stood up. "You're not interrupting anything." He said in a mocking voice. "This is Alexandria Andersen. She lives up the block. She was Ma's friend."

"Call me Alex." She stood up and extended her hand for him. He shook it.

"Aren't you a little young to be Ma's friend" He asked with a handsome smirk that Evelyn had told her about.

"Well she was more like a mother than a friend." Alex said. She wiped the moisture from under her eyes.

"Here ya go Bobby." Angel walked back in the living room.

"What did you do, make the beer Angel?" Bobby asked.

"I was on the phone with Sofi."

"Oh c'mon man! She better not be coming here. We have company and I don't want her embarrassing us." Bobby said sitting back down.

"_You_ don't want Sofi embarrassing us? _You_?" Angel pointed to Bobby with wide eyes.

"Yeah!" Bobby squeaked.

Jack walked over to the oversized chair and sat down. His eyes were on Alex. She was so pretty. He couldn't help but notice. So this was Alex. The girl his mother had told him about. Ma had described her perfectly. She was tall and thin and had long brown hair and brown eyes. She had a big smile and perfect teeth. Her lips were full and her skin looked so soft.

"Bobby, I'm telling ya man, don't start! She's comin' over. She wants to meet Alex

and she wants to make us dinner. You'll stay for dinner right?" Angel looked at Alex.

"I beat you there jarhead! I already asked her." Bobby said.

Alex started to laugh. "What?" Bobby said looking at Alex. She looked up and the three brothers were looking at her with confusion on their faces.

"I'm sorry. But you guys are exactly what I expected. She talked about you all so much it's like I knew you before I even came here. I'm sorry." Alex put her head down.

"There's no reason to be sorry." Alex looked up at Jack who was smiling at her.

"Alright, well what time is it." Bobby looked at his watch. "Five twenty two. If your loco bird is gonna come here and make dinner she better be here soon. I'm starving!" Bobby walked into the kitchen.

"I gotta go pick her up man. Don't be a dick and please, I mean please don't start with your La Vita Loca shit. I am not in the mood for your shit tonight Bobby. I'm not!" Angel put his jacket on and shook his head at the laughter coming from the kitchen. Angel said good bye and that he would be back in a few minutes.

Alex suddenly realized that her and Jack were alone. She kept her eyes on her fingers that she noticed were twirling a piece of string from her shirt. She was twirling it so tight that the tip of her left index finger began to turn red.

"You're gonna cut off the circulation." Alex looked up at Jack. His eyebrows were up and his eyes pointed to her finger. Alex looked back down to her finger. "Shit!" She unraveled the string as quickly as she could.

"Am I making you nervous?" Jack asked.

"No! Why would I be nervous around you?" Alex laughed.

"Ma used to twirl things when she was nervous. That just reminded me of it, that's all." Jack sat back in the chair.

"So, how long are you guys planning on staying here?" Alex asked.

"Well, honestly. I didn't set a time limit. Angel exited the Marines and _entered_ Sofi so I'm sure he isn't going anywhere any time soon, and Bobby, who knows with him." They both laughed.

"Oh, well I hope you guys stay awhile. If I can't have Evelyn, it would be nice to at least know her sons." Alex and Jack caught each others eyes. He had the kindest eyes she had ever seen. _Are they blue? No wait, they're green. Beautiful. _ Alex's face grew hot and she pulled her eyes away.

"Why the awkward silence?" Bobby asked as he came back from the kitchen.

"I hope you're not hitting on her Jackie. You wouldn't want to get her hopes up, with you being gay and all." Bobby took a swig of his beer.

"Fuck you Bobby!" Jack pointed his finger at Bobby. "Even in front of people we don't know you pull this shit." Jack got up out of his seat and rushed to the stairs. He looked back at Alex.

"It was nice meeting you Alex." Jack was about to walk up the stairs when Bobby grabbed his arm.

"C'mon Jackie. I was only playing with you, you know that. I was kidding. If Ma told her about us like she says, she knows how we all are. Especially me!" Bobby wouldn't let go of his arm. Jack looked back at Alex. Embarrassment clearly in his eyes.

"Fine. But no more jokes tonight Bobby. I'm serious!" Jack said. Bobby nodded and let go of his arm. Jack walked past him into the kitchen.

"Jackie's a very sensitive boy." Bobby sat down in the chair Jack had sat in.

"So I've been told." Alex looked around. It was exactly how Evelyn had left it. The boys were keeping the place in order. It had been three months since Evelyn's death and the house still smelt of her. Alex's mind began to replay warm memories again. _"Alex, dear, I would love to see you smile more. You have such a beautiful smile. It would be a shame to waste it. Come on. Show me your smile." _Evelyn put her hand on Alex's chin. Alex's smile grew without her help. Just having Evelyn there with her was a reason to smile_. "There is it." _Alex's smile grew._ "You're going to break many hearts." _Evelyn said_. "No, I don't break the hearts Evelyn. My heart is the one always being broken. I don't feel the need to even try anymore." _Evelyn sighed. Alex was just as thick headed as her sons. She would have fit quite well in the Mercer home._ "Some day Alex, I don't know when, but you will find someone that will love you and never want to let you go. You will see." _Evelyn smiled at her. Alex smiled back.

"You ok?" Bobby asked.

"Hmm? What? Oh! Yeah. I'm fine." Alex shook her head slightly, trying to snap back into reality. She was lost in thoughts of Evelyn. The only real mother she ever knew. Just as Bobby was about to say something there was a knock at the door. Bobby sat up and looked to Alex. "You wait here." He told her. Alex nodded.

"Who is it?" Bobby called through the door.

"It's your brother. Jerry." Bobby opened the front door and grabbed his brother in a big hug.

"How ya doing bro?" Bobby asked.

"I'm good, I'm good. Just dropped the girls at home from dancing school and Camille told me there was a message from Angel saying that Alex was here. Where is she?" Jerry walked into the living room. "There you are." Alex got up and hugged Jerry.

"I was wondering if you were ever gonna show your face." Jerry said smiling at the girl.

"I will admit I was a bit intimidated. I wasn't sure what to expect." Alex said.

"And?" Jerry asked with raised eyebrows.

"And, I waited too long. They are all as nice as you said they would be." Alex hugged Jerry again.

"This is the daughter that Ma never got." Jerry said talking to Bobby. "She loved her like she did us. Too bad Ma couldn't have found you earlier Alex." Jerry's smile faded.

"As long as she found me that was enough." Alex smiled.

"Where the hell is that asshole?" Bobby said looking out the front door.

"Who?" Jerry asked.

"Angel. He went to pick up La Vita Loca and they aren't back yet. I'm starving!"

Bobby, Alex and Jerry were sitting in the living room talking when Bobby heard a noise outside. He got up and looked out the front window.

"There they are!" Alex could hear Angel arguing with a woman who was talking very fast. _Sofi!_ Alex thought and smiled. Angel and Sofi walked into the house and met them in the living room.

"I bet I know why it took you thirty minutes to get her when it would take anyone else ten." Bobby smiled at Angel. Angel stared back at Bobby with a blank expression. They did this for a several seconds. Then Angel began laughing. "You know it man!" He smacked Bobby's hand.

"Alright, Sofi, now that you got your fill from my little brother here, you should be nice and relaxed to start cooking." She had introduced herself to Alex and they were talking. Now she looked over at Bobby, squinting her eyes.

"You know Bobby," Sofi said in a Spanish accent. "Angel promised me you would behave tonight but I see he is just an idiot like you!" She took her coat off and hung it up and stormed into the kitchen mumbling under her breath in Spanish.

"Why Bobby? Why do you always have to start your shit?" Angel said hanging up his jacket and then jogging into the kitchen after Sofi.

"Ahh, man. I can't help but love my brothers." Jerry said laughing. He headed to the kitchen.

"Angel is such a bitch when it comes to that girl." Bobby said sitting back down on the couch. Alex headed over to the chair and sat down.

"Why don't you like her?" Alex asked. Bobby stared at her for a few seconds.

"I don't know actually." Bobby laughed.

Alex noticed that Jack had never left the kitchen since he and Bobby had words. She was happy to finally meet him. Evelyn talked the most about Jack to her. Telling her about how she adopted him when he was eight and how bad of a life he had in his small eight years until he officially became a Mercer. Bouncing from one forester home to the next, being abused in each one because he was an easy target. Evelyn had told her about his parents, how they were very young and not capable of raising a child. As an infant they left him with his mother's Aunt in Lansing, Michigan. She had died suddenly when he was only two. With no other living relatives the city had to put him through the system. Evelyn would always trail off when she began to tell this part of Jack's story, almost as if to catch herself from telling Alex the brutal truth behind Jack's suffering past.

"You're in deep thought." That handsome voice was back. Alex looked up to see Jack smiling down at her. He was so tall. His light brown hair fell wildly on top of his head. He had worn jeans on and a grey thermal with an open black button up over it. Alex could see he liked jewelry. He had a necklace on and rings on each of his index fingers.

"Yeah, I tend to do that a lot. Your mom used to tell me I was an intense thinker." Alex laughed.

"My mom had actually told me about you the day she met you." Jack sat on the coffee table facing his back to Bobby.

"Hey, Jackie. I don't feel like viewing your back." Bobby said.

"Then go inside." Jack turned to face his brother.

"Oh I get it. You two wanna be alone." Bobby got up smiling. He headed to the kitchen to see when dinner would be ready. Nice to see his little brother trying to make nice with such a good looking girl. Bobby was already thinking of getting to know Alex better, but it seemed little Jackie liked her. Bobby would never step on his brothers toes.

"If you start coming around more often you'll understand his humor better. Not sure how much better though." Jack said.

"He's only teasing you." Alex smiled. God her smile was amazing.

"Like I was saying, I called Ma that night before I had a show and she didn't sound like herself. It took me some time but she finally gave in. She told me you looked how we all looked the first time we came here. I wouldn't be surprised if my mother hadn't slept at all that night." Jack put his head down. He missed his mother.

"Evelyn is, was, an amazing person. She kept my head above water these past few years. I don't know what I will do without her now."

"You have us now. Our mother felt the need to protect you. We may not be as great as her, but we know how much you meant to her. Even if she only told us once, we knew." They stared into each others eyes for a few seconds. She had never seen such beautiful eyes in her life. He must have been a beautiful child. Why would anyone want to hurt such a beautiful child?

Sofi walked into the living room. "Dinner, you two." Then she walked back.

"C'mon. Let's go eat. This should be fun." Jack got up and walked to the dining room. Alex followed.

The dining room table was filled with food. Mashed potatoes, string beans, macaroni and cheese, two different kinds of bread and gravy. There was ham and what looked like chicken cutlets. Alex could see the big bowl of rice and beans that she couldn't wait to try.

"It's left-overs and quick fixes tonight. I will make a real dinner one night this week. Who wanted to hear Bobby complain anymore about being hungry?" Sofi sat down next to Angel. Jack sat across from her and next to Jerry. Bobby walked to Alex.

"Because you had such a place is Ma's heart, you sit in her seat. He pulled out her chair and gestured her to sit down. Alex knew all too well that was Evelyn's chair. She sat many of nights with the woman eating dinner with her. Surprisingly enough, Alex always sat in Jack's chair. Evelyn never told her that was Jack's chair. Alex sat down after smiling at Bobby. Bobby walked to his chair at the head of the table. "Let's eat!" He yelled.

At first everyone ate in silence. Then Angel started telling stories about when they were kids and how much trouble they used to get into. Jerry shared his memories as did Jack. Bobby just laughed and shook his head while remembering his own memories of his mother. After dinner Alex helped clean with Sofi, while the boys went to watch a hockey game in the living room.

"Jack likes you." Sofi broke their silence.

"Likes me? He doesn't even know me." Alex laughed.

"Okay, let's say than, he finds you attractive. Is that better?" Sofi laughed.

"Yeah, well the feeling's mutual." Alex couldn't believe she sad that out loud. She looked over to Sofi with innocent eyes. "Let's keep that between us ok?" Sofi laughed and agreed. Alex's eyes fell past the clock on the wall. 10:53. "Oh my god!" Alex said out loud. She hadn't realized how long they were talking at dinner.

"What's wrong?" Sofi could see the concern in her eyes.

"Nothing I just didn't realize what time it was. I have to go. It's late." Alex thanked Sofi for such a great meal. She walked to the living room and then into the hall. She put her jacket on. Bobby turned to see her.

"Where you going?" He said.

"Um, I have to get home. I didn't realize what time it was." She walked back into the living room. All four boys got up off of their seats.

"Why are you leaving already?" Angel asked.

"I'm sorry I really have to get home. I'll come back. I promise." Alex was feeling that warm feeling again. They wanted her there. Something she hadn't felt since Evelyn's passing. Jerry walked to her first, hugging her and kissing her head. "Do _not_ be a stranger again, you hear me?" Alex nodded her head. Bobby hugged her next. "It was great meeting you. And Jerry's right, don't be a stranger." Angel walked to her and kissed her head and hugged her. He was so strong. Alex held her breath until he let go. She laughed to herself.

"I can walk you home if you want?" Jack asked.

"Sure." Alex was about to walk out with Jack when she remembered her other reason for coming to the Mercers.

"Oh, I almost forgot." She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out a set of keys.

"Evelyn gave me these about two years ago. On my really bad nights I would come here and wake her up, to see if I could spend the night. One day when I came for coffee she had these on the table. She told me from now on I would have my own keys so I didn't have to wake her. I guess I won't need these anymore." Her eyes began to water heavy. One tear fell down her cheek and she quickly whipped it away. She handed the keys to Angel.

"No." He shook his head. "Ma gave them to you. She knew you needed them. Keep them. Whenever you feel you need to use them, use them." The boys were staring at her. Evelyn told her they would protect her if anything ever happened to her. She was right.

"Thank you." The tears fell from her face and she whipped them all away. She placed the keys back in her pocket. She smiled at the boys and walked out of the house. The cold air felt good.

"You ok?" Jack asked.

"I'm fine. Thank you, seriously." She started to walk up the block. Jack was walking next to her. They didn't say much to each other, but it was a comfortable silence. Jack lit a cigarette and Alex looked at it with envy.

"Want one?" Jack said noticing Alex's stare.

"God yes! But I can't. Something else your mother helped me with. God but how I could use one right now." They walked on until they reached Alex's house.

"Ah, yes, the old Mallory's house. Bobby used to bang the girl who lived here. And I think so did Angel." He said looking up at the house.

"Well, thank you for walking me. I should go." Jack said ok and smiled. They stood in awkward silence for a moment when the front door swung open. Alex's back was facing the house and when she heard the door her eyes widened. Jack noticed this. He looked at the man standing on the porch.

"Thought you said you'd be home in a little while Alexandria. That was over five hours ago." The man was clearly drunk. Alex squeezed her eyes shut. She opened them then turned to face her step father.

"I didn't realize how long I was gone Don."

"Don? You call me Don in front of your boyfriend. What ever happened to dad?" He chuckled.

"You're not my dad. And he's not my boyfriend." Alex turned to face Jack. "I'm sorry. I really should go. I had a great time." She said as low as she could. She smiled that amazing smile and turned to walk up the walkway. Jack wouldn't move. He watched every movement Don made. Don was staring back at Jack. Alex reached her step father and he grabbed her arm before she could walk past him. Alex's heart began to race. _Please God. Not in front of Jack. _God must have answered her prayer because he let her go. She walked into the house and he followed. Not after giving Jack a stern stare. Jack jogged back to his mother's house. He ran up the stairs and flung the front door open.

"What happened Jackie? She tell you she aint interested." Bobby laughed.

"No jerkoff. Her step father came outside and I'm telling you she looked scared shitless." He took his jacket off and walked into the living room.

"He do anything?" Angel asked.

"No but he was piss drunk. Words were slurring and shit."

"What'd she say?" Bobby asked.

"Nothin' 'cept that she had to leave." Jack didn't like that man. Her step father reminded him of the many drunken forester dads he had.


End file.
